COL Frederick J. Hyatt

COL Frederick Hyatt was commissioned a second lieutenant in Ordnance after graduation from the University of Rochester with a Major in Chemistry. He also holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland.

COL Hyatt served in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps from 1954 to 1982. During his career he participated in worldwide special weapons munitions of combatant commands to counter communist gains in Asia and Europe.

While serving at Fort Sill from 1954 to1955, Hyatt organized and operated the largest Post Ammunition Supply Point in CONUS under ASP field conditions. Serving in Taiwan, Hyatt was assigned ammunition advisor to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. Hyatt was cited for ASP fortification improvements on the off shore islands of Quemoy and Matsu for the remaining war reserve stock.

While assigned the Division Ammunition Officer, 4th Infantry Division, Pleiku, Vietnam, Hyatt discovered an extremely serious explosive safety problem. The new plastic “orange crate” style packaging for 60mm and 81mm mortar ammunition did not keep the ammunition dry, which subsequently caused them to misfire or land inside the fire base perimeter fence line.

From 1979 to 1982, Hyatt was the Garrison Commander at Picatinny Arsenal, when the arsenal was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. He developed a cost-saving plan, briefing the BRAC commission on the unique synergy that could be achieved when the existing research and development of new ammunition occurred at a single location. Hyatt was instrumental in keeping Picatinny Arsenal from closing.

COL Hyatt retired in 1982.